Updates from Milt Newton

[bleedspeed]

I thought Gobert was a bust in the making.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

What if we had just selected Gobert over Dieng... What our future would look like... Holy shit.

Sorry but this stuff kinda drives me nuts. We finally get a worthwhile player outside the lottery and people are wishing for someone else. Yeah Gobert would be awesome I get it but...ok ok sorry end of rant.

I know what you mean, monster. I'm not in any way ripping Flip for that pick. I was a big time supporter of Gorgui that draft and would have taken him higher than he was actually selected. I'm 100% using hindsight bias in my dream of a Wiggins/Towns/Gobert frontcourt that will never happen. It's just fun to think about "what if"s sometimes.

[Monster]

What if we had just selected Gobert over Dieng... What our future would look like... Holy shit.

Sorry but this stuff kinda drives me nuts. We finally get a worthwhile player outside the lottery and people are wishing for someone else. Yeah Gobert would be awesome I get it but...ok ok sorry end of rant.

I know what you mean, monster. I'm not in any way ripping Flip for that pick. I was a big time supporter of Gorgui that draft and would have taken him higher than he was actually selected. I'm 100% using hindsight bias in my dream of a Wiggins/Towns/Gobert frontcourt that will never happen. It's just fun to think about "what if"s sometimes.

Cool

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Bleed and cam- I don't necessarily disagree that Dieng is likely not a starter, but I think it's our future center, not PF, that might not be on the roster right now. I seem to be in the minority when it comes to Towns' best position in the future. I can see him being either a very good center or PF, but it seems to me he can be better utilized as a stretch 4. His 3-point shooting and off-the-ball shot blocking could really make him a transformational PF. Why do you guys see him more as a center?

Ultimately, I suspect Towns is versatile enough that his position will be determined by need more than where he fits best. If AB were ever to regain his college confidence, and put up double doubles like he is this summer, a front court consisting of three young # 1's (Towns, AB, and Wiggins) would be pretty exciting. Or if Dieng takes a quantum leap over last year and can be effective like he has been this summer in Africa, Towns may be better utilized as a PF. I guess I have to agree with you guys that most likely neither Dieng or AB is a future starter on this team, and one piece is still missing.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Here is a video of Milt talking to wolfson. There is some decently interesting stuff.

http://kstp.com/sports/stories/S3895732.shtml?cat=7

Thanks for posting that, monster...good stuff.

I know Cam has suggested that we not include Pek in any rotation discussions, but Milt's comment that Pek said his body feels the best it has in years leads me to a different conclusion. If he really is healthy, he is too productive to not include in rotation discussions, and even starting discussions.

Frankly, if we're using past injury history to decide who to include or exclude in our discussions, we wouldn't be talking about Rubio, Shabazz or Martin either. I think we have to take what the players and coaches are saying at face value when we decide who to include in rotation discussions.

[TAFKASP]

What if we had just selected Gobert over Dieng... What our future would look like... Holy shit.

One thing that would be unlikely to have happened is the Wolves drafting KAT. What ifs are fun in isolation,not always in the big picture.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

We could have had Dieng and Gobert. We sold a first round pick and that pick could have gotten us Gobert.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

I think there is too much Dieng hate. I disagree with those who don't think he can be a quality starter for us. I think he fits in well with Towns, Wiggins, Zach and Ricky and he's just played two NBA years and looked like a beast this summer. Unless we get another top pick and draft a guy like Skal Labissiere, he's probably our best big option to pair with Karl for the long term.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

Bleed and cam- I don't necessarily disagree that Dieng is likely not a starter, but I think it's our future center, not PF, that might not be on the roster right now. I seem to be in the minority when it comes to Towns' best position in the future. I can see him being either a very good center or PF, but it seems to me he can be better utilized as a stretch 4. His 3-point shooting and off-the-ball shot blocking could really make him a transformational PF. Why do you guys see him more as a center?

Ultimately, I suspect Towns is versatile enough that his position will be determined by need more than where he fits best. If AB were ever to regain his college confidence, and put up double doubles like he is this summer, a front court consisting of three young # 1's (Towns, AB, and Wiggins) would be pretty exciting. Or if Dieng takes a quantum leap over last year and can be effective like he has been this summer in Africa, Towns may be better utilized as a PF. I guess I have to agree with you guys that most likely neither Dieng or AB is a future starter on this team, and one piece is still missing.

I will answer this. Because despite all the video's of Towns hitting 3's, and making jump shots, he has yet to show ANY consistency, or volume during game play of these skills. There are a million guys that can make a crap-ton of 3's while unguarded in a non-game situation (i.e. videos of Towns hitting 3's). Totally different thing to make these shots during game play. What Towns did show last season was an ability to defend the paint close to the basket, and score in a variety of ways on short jump hooks, putbacks, etc. Right now, he CLEARLY has the skills of a traditional center. IF he can pull together the skills many here talk about, then he is capable of playing either spot. But until he does....he is a center.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Take a look at the Real Plus Minus Stats of ESPN. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/sort/RPM
Dieng fared relatively well compared to our other guys. Ricky seems to always lead the team in any type of plus minus stats, but Dieng was next best if you exclude guys like KG who played only part of the year. Also note that Bennett, Payne and Zach were near the worst in the entire NBA.